SolveYourProblem eLearning Series:
I'm an Active Senior
Who Wants To Stay Healthy
( 50 aticles in this series )

Physical Activities As We Get Older
   

The older we get, the more ways the body will find to surprise us with its newly found inabilities. It seems like one break down of the body keeps us filled up with excuses for longer and longer periods of time for why we are unable to do one thing or another. There are some limitations set due to these drawbacks that have to be configured into staying physically active. The key is to keep the body active in as many ways as possible, working around any limitations that emerge. We also should be aware that there are many who overcome their conditions, not always by eliminating the condition, but by working the body much as you can. There are many survivors of cancer, for example, who motivate themselves past significant degrees of fatigue, nausea and depression by working back toward wellness in anyway they can. Getting older or dealing with disease or illness is a setback meant to be overcome as much as possible, rather than being a pass to not stay active. Expectations have to be put in the parameters that your body is willing to manage at the time. Accepting what you have and moving on with those particular limitations will improve the way you age.

One of the biggest hurdles of growing older is the increased feelings of fatigue. The good news about that is that almost any physical activity will actually help to counteract feelings of being tired, because the activity increases blood flow and the strength of the heart to supply the exerting body with extra oxygen. Yoga and walking are great activities to help increase energy. They both focus on breathing and the yoga gets circulation to all parts of the body through its many postures and stretches. The improved breathing and circulation in turn, gives us a feeling of more energy, alertness and less tension. Yoga can be modified for any condition or degree of disability and keeps seniors able to reach higher and lower than they may have been before. Walking is one of the most beloved forms of fitness around the world and is gentle on the joints with the right shoes.

Arthritis and other chronic pain are also aspects of growing older which can try to take away all of your favorite activities, thereby taking away your health. Seniors across the country are raving about the effects of swimming on their joint pain. Some say that their symptoms are eliminated while in the water and subdued for quite a while afterwards. The warm water and joy of being able to jog or do weight bearing exercises without pain are uplifting and rejuvenating. A few hours in the water each week will keep you feeling young and keep you limbered up to do other day to day activities which you need to perform?

Perhaps neck to neck with elements of a healthy lifestyle is the need for socialization. As seniors, an active lifestyle is best accentuated with active socializing. A blending of the two is a perfect match. Finding neighbors and friends who want to take exercise classes with you or become a partner for walking is one of the best ways to make staying fit fun. Joining a square dancing or ballroom dancing club will provide you with an environment of others who are motivated to stay fit and active. Surrounding yourself with inspired, motivated individuals makes it much easier to stay motivated yourself. Dancing is extremely popular among seniors for providing this environment. It is also wonderful for keeping the heart light because dancing is full of whimsy and fun. If you like tennis, golf, basketball or other sports which take more than one, you will be giving yourself the tools to make aging a graceful process along with the opportunity to make lasting friendships. Exercise is not meant to be a painful or lonely process, it is meant to eliminate those feelings as much as possible. By participating in activities which reduce elements of pain from chronic conditions, by increasing blood flow and oxygen intake, and by involving some social time in the mix, you can stay in the game for much longer. Remember that physical activity now makes future activity more accessible.

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SolveYourProblem.com : 2006

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